Harmonium.



PATENTED SEPT. 22 1903.

0. HESSE. HARMONIUM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1901.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

a a m lllll v/ Fiitmzsses J/KaW v No. 789,414. PATENTED SEPT. 22, I903.

G. HESSE.

HARMONIUM.

APPLICATION IIIHID F014, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 72/ 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

q/vihmooea m mg? UNITED STATES Patented September 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CARL HESSE, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY, ASSIG N OR TO CONCERN SCHIED- MAYERPIANOFORTEFABRIK, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY.

HARMONIUM.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 739,414, dated September22, 1903.

' Application filed November 4, 1901. Serial No- 81,140- (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL HESSE, a citizen of Austria-Hungary, residingat Stuttgart, in the Kingdom of IViiI-temberg, Germany, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in I-Iarmoniums; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in harmoniums and similar windinstruments; and its object is to provide a simple and efficientmechanism whereby the sound or notes produced may be muffled ormodified, as in obtaining echo effects.

With this object in view the invention comprises a sound chest orchamber in which is arranged concentric cylinders having diametricalopenings adapted to register or to be thrown out of registry in varyingdegree in order to permit the full volume of sound to be produced or tomuffie the same, as may be desired.

The invention also comprises means for rotating one of the cylindersrelatively to the other in order to open or close the muffling device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of asound-muffling device embodying my invention, showing it in its normalopen position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of'the same.Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partially in section, of themuffling-cylinders and the adjacent parts; and Figs. 4 and 5 are sideelevations showing the device closed by means of a treadle and by meansof a spring, respectively.

Referring particularly to the drawings by letter, a designates a soundchest or chamber extending across the instrument and dividedlongitudinally by a partition I). At a in the bottom of thesound-chamber is a port through which communication is establishedbetween the said chamber and the reeds or other sound ing devices. Inrear of the partition ports a (L3 form exhausts to permit the escape ofthe air. The upper portion of the partition consists of two concentriccylinders c d, the outer one, 0, of which is provided with diametricallyopposite longitudinal slots 0 0 shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5,

while the inner one, (1, is constructed with a longitudinal slot cl,extending entirely through and coinciding with one of its diameters.This. slot 1 is adapted to register with the slots in the outercylinder, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

The cylinder d is adapted to rotate within the cylinder 0, and to thatend it is provided with an axle e, projecting through the end of thesound-chamber and on which is secured a concentric disk f. This disk isconnected by a cord 9 with a movable part, such as a knee lever ontreadle, and the cord is held taut by a spring is, secured at one end tothe end or side of the sound-chamber and at its other end to the edge ofthe disk, as clearly On the outer face of the disk, above the center ofthe same and approximately parallel with the slot in the cylinder d, Iprovide a rearwardly projecting arm, lug, or offset f, to which isconnected the rod or stick 1), having an elongated pin at its upper end,which plays loosely in the end of a lever 71. The front end of thislever n (which is pivoted at m on the frame of the instrument) restsnormally on an incline or cam 0, formed on the upper side of the stoprodZ, having the stop-knob Z at its front end. In order to limit themovement of the disk and cylinder (Z in either direction, I provide lugsor stops h 71 on the lower edge of the disk, which are adapted toimpinge against the fixed bracket or stop i on the wall of thesound-chamber.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts being thus madeknown, it is thought that the operation will be readily understood. Thesound waves or tones are emitted directly from the reeds'withoutinterruption or hindrance. The air-currents,however, traveling in atortuous path through the Wind-chest and the orifices a a (0* toward theexhaust-bellows, pass through the cylinder and are checked in a degreevarying as the muiiling device is more or less opened and cl0sed,thussubduin g the tone of the sounding device and producing an echo effectwhich is directly under the control of the operator by means of the stopor pedal, as fully explained.

The muffler is normally open against the tension of the spring 7c, asshown in Fig. 1. In

this position of the parts the stop-pins h h are equidistant from thebracket or stop-bar i, and the cylinder (1 is locked in a position withits slot horizontal and in alinement with the slots in the cylinder bythe pin or rod 19 and parts connected therewith. This pin or rod 1), itwill be noticed, rests directly upon the lug f, so that the weight ofthe said pin is acting in opposition to the spring 70, which tends toturn the cylinder in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. The pincannot rise, however, as the weight of the lever n is thrown on itsupper end by means of the stop-rod Z,

' which holds the said lever in the position shown in Fig. 1. If thestop-rod be drawn out, the cam or inclined surface 0 will pass fromunder the front end of the lever n, so that the said lever at once turnson its pivot m and the disk f is rotated by the spring in the directionof the arrow 2, this turning being limited by the pin h coming intocontact with the stop bar or bracket 1. This movement brings the partsinto the position shown in Fig. 5 and entirely closes the muffler. Ofcourse it is possible to regulate the tone by drawing out the stop moreor less, as will be readily understood. hen the stop is pushed in again,the lever 01 will be restored to the position shown in Fig. 1, therebypushing the rod 19 downward and returning the cylinder and disk to theopen position. hen it is desired to produce a soft tone for only asingle note or foravery short passage, the muffler is operated by thepedal or similar device. The player in this manner draws on the cord g,so as to turn the disk in the direction indicated .by the arrow 1 inFig. l and bring the parts into the position shown in Fig. 4, therebyentirely closing the mufiier. The muffler will be completely orpartially closed accordingly as more or less pressure is applied to thepedal, as will be readily understood. The movement of the disk under thepull of the cord will be limited by the pin it coming into contact Withthe stop-bar 2', and as soon as the pressure on the knee swell ortreadle is removed the spring returns the disk to its open position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A muffler for wind instruments comprising a sound-chamber, concentricdrums controlling the exit from said chamber and having longitudinalslots adapted to register, and means for rotating one of the cylindersrelatively to the other to bring the slots into or out of alinement.

2. muffler for wind instruments comprising a sound-chamber, a rotatableregister controlling the exit from said chamber and consistin g ofrelatively movable parts containing slots, means for holding saidregister yieldingly closed, and means for locking the register open inopposition to said closing means.

3. A muffler for wind instruments compris ing a sound chamber, arotatable register within said chamber, means for holding said registeryieldingly closed, means for locking said register open in opposition tothe said closing means, and means for releasing said locking means.

4:- A muffier for wind instruments comprising a sound-chamber, acylindrical register having oppositely-disposed slots controlling theexit from said chamber, a spring attached to said register, and meansfor closing the register in opposition to the said spring.

5. Amuflier forwind instruments comprisin g a sound-chamber, concentriccylindersprovided with slots or perforations adapted to register and tocontrolthe exit from said chamber, means for rotating the innercylinder, means for limiting the rotation of said cylinder, and a springacting on said cylinder in opposition to said rotating means.

6. A muffler for wind instruments consisting of concentric cylindershaving slots or perforations adapted to register, a disk on the end ofthe inner cylinder, means for rotating said disk in opposite directions,means for locking said disk in a position with cylinderslotsregistering, stop-pins on the lower edge of the disk, and a stop bar orbracket arranged between and in the path of the said pins to limit themovement of the disk.

7. A muffler for Wind instruments consisting of concentric cylindershaving slots or perforations adapted to register, a disk on the end ofthe inner cylinder, an oifset on said disk, a rod rising from the end ofthe said offset, a lever bearing on the upper end of said rod, astop-rod controlling said lever whereby the disk may be rotated or heldagainst rotation, and a spring attached to the disk and acting thereonin opposition to the said lever and rod.

8. A muffler for wind instruments consisting of concentric cylindershaving openings adapted to register, a disk on the end of the innercylinder, an ofiset on said disk, a rod rising from the said offset, alever bearing on the upper end of said rod, means for controlling thesaid lever, a cord attached to the disk and adapted to rotate the same,and a spring attached to the disk and acting thereon in opposition tothe cord.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I CARL HESSE. Witnesses:

ERNST ESTEMAND, WALTER FEmwAEBsoH.

